Category Archives: Child Custody
What You Need to Know About Establishing Paternity in Texas
Paternity means legal fatherhood. At birth, the law automatically recognizes the two legal parents of a child, the husband and wife. For married couples, paternity is that simple. There are no additional legal steps needed. However, when a child is born to parents who aren’t married to one another, the law doesn’t automatically recognize… Read More »
How Domestic Violence Can Affect Child Custody in Texas
When it comes to child custody proceedings, everything comes out of the closet, so to speak. Even mental and physical abuse that happens behind closed doors will almost always be brought to light in the courtroom. This type of abuse, called domestic violence, may affect who will receive primary custody of the children. Depending… Read More »
Are You or Your Former Spouse Planning a Move with Your Child?
When parents go through a divorce, it’s not unusual for one, or even both, spouses to move to another city, state, or country. The problem is that when children are involved and one of the parents wants to bring the children with them, that child may be bound by a child custody order from… Read More »
Are All Texas Fathers Guaranteed Legal Rights to their Children?
Families are made out of all sorts of situations, which is why Texas has laws that address the many different shapes and sizes of families in the state. This includes families where the parents are unmarried and have children. When married parents have a baby, the law automatically recognizes both parents as legal parents,… Read More »
Overnight Stays for a Noncustodial Parent with a Toddler
Researchers from Arizona State University discovered that children, regardless of age, directly benefit from spending time with both their mother and father, including overnight stays with the father. The researchers revealed that parenting time with the noncustodial parent (usually the dad) during a child’s infancy causes no discernible harm to the relationship between the… Read More »
Child Custody During the Holidays
It’s that time of year – family reunions, Christmas tree decorating and gift opening, New Year’s celebrations, and so forth. If you are a divorced parent, an important issue needs to be addressed during the holiday season – custody. Who gets the child, or children, during a respective holiday? In Texas, family courts often… Read More »
Important Child Custody Questions Answered
One of the most contentious and emotionally-charged issues in a divorce is child custody. This is understandable since the outcome of your divorce will dictate who will be primarily responsible for raising your child. Below are some common questions related to child custody and corresponding answers. What is Joint Custody? With joint custody, both… Read More »
Can You Be Charged with Kidnapping Your Own Child?
In divorce and child custody proceedings, a parent may not take their child, or children, and leave the State of Texas without the consent of the court and the other parent. Even if you are the child’s biological parent, if you try to flee with your child, it could be grounds for kidnapping charges…. Read More »
Child Custody Disputes and Drug Testing
When the custody of your children is a main point of disagreement, either party may file a motion seeking to have the other party tested for drugs. Why a Texas Divorce Court May Grant a Drug Test Motion There are multiple reasons why drug testing may be ordered during a divorce, but the biggest… Read More »
Common Law Divorce and How It Affects Child Custody
In Texas, you do not need a marriage ceremony or engagement rings to get married. There is something called a “common law marriage” where a couple is recognized as married without a marriage license or ceremony. A common law marriage carries the exact same legal effect as a traditional marriage with a ceremony. Requirements… Read More »
